Cut off from Service due to kindred Blood * Boaft fwarming Veffels, whofe Plæbean State When he had brought this Poem to its prefent State, which, without confidering the Chafm, is not perfect, he wrote to London an Account of his Defign, and informed his Friend, that he was determined to print it with his Name; but enjoined him not to communicate his Intention to his Briftol Acquaintance. The Gentleman furpriz'd at his Refolution, endeavoured to diffuade him from publishing VOL. II. X it, *A Place where the Merchants ufed to meet to tranfact their Affairs before the Exchange was erected. + Halliers are the Perfons who drive or own the Śledg es, which are used here instead of Carts. it, a leaft, from prefixing his Name, and declar'd, that he could not reconcile the Injunction of Secrefy with his Refolution to own it at its firft Appearance. To this Mr. Savage returned an Anfwer agreeable to his Character in the following Terms. "I received yours this Morning and not without "a little Surprize at the Contents. To answer a "Queftion with a Question, you ask me concerning "London and Bristol, Why will I add delineated? "Why did Mr. Woolafton add that Word to his Re"ligion of Nature? I suppose that it was his Will "and Pleafure to add it in his Cafe; and it is mine "to do fo in my own. You are pleased to tell me, "that you understand not, why Secrefy is enjoin'd, "and yet I intend to fet my Name to it. My An"fwer is I have my private Reafons; which I am "not obliged to explain to any one. You doubt, 66 my Friend Mr. S would not approve of it. "And what is it to me whether he does or not? "Do you imagine, that Mr. S- is to dictate to "me? If any Man who calls himself my Friend, "fhould affume fuch an Air, I would fpurn at his "Friendship with Contempt. You fay, I feem to "think fo by not letting him know it-And suppose "I do, what then? Perhaps I can give Reasons for "that Difapprobation, very foreign from what you "would imagine. You go on in faying, fuppofe, "I fhould not put my Name to it-My Answer is, "that I will not fuppofe any such Thing, being de"termined to the contrary; neither, Sir, would I "have you fuppofe, that I applied to you for Want of another Prefs: Nor would I have you imagine, "that I owe Mr. S Obligations which I do "not.". Such was his Imprudence and fuch his obftinate Adherence to his own Refolutions, however absurd. A A Prisoner! fupported by Charity! and whatever Infults he might have received during the latter Part of his Stay in Bristol, once careffed, efteemed, and presented with a liberal Collection, he could forget on a fudden his Danger, and his Obligations, to gratify the Petulance of his Wit, or the Eagerness of his Refentment, and publish a Satire by which he might reasonably expect, that he fhould alienate those who then supported him, and provoke those whom he could neither refift nor escape. This Refolution, from the Execution of which, it is probable, that only his Death could have hindered him, is fufficient to fhew, how much he difregarded all Confiderations that opposed his present Paffions, and how readily he hazarded all future Advantages for any immediate Gratifications. Whatever was his predominant Inclination, neither Hope nor Fear hinder'd him from complying with it, nor had Opposition any other Effect than to heighten his Ardour and irritate his Vehemence. This Performance was however laid afide, while he was employed in foliciting Affiftance from several great Perfons, and one Interruption fucceeding another hindered him from fupplying the Chafm, and perhaps from retouching the other Parts, which he can hardly be imagined to have finifhed, in his own Opinion; for it is very unequal, and fome of the Lines are rather inferted to rhime to others than to fupport or improve the Sense. He had now quite ceas'd from corresponding with any of his Subscribers except Mr. Pope, and feldom with him, tho' he continued to remit him the twenty Pounds a Year he had promifed him, and by whom it was expected, that he would have been in a very fhort Time enlarged, because he had directed the Keeper to enquire after the State of his Debts. When he had been fix Months in Prison, he receiv'd a Letter from Mr. Pope, who had heard fomething of him, as to the Freedom of his Speech concerning his Subscribers, and fomething particularly regarding himself, which, if true, was totally unbecoming the Mouth of Mr. Savage; this Letter contained a Charge of a very atrocious Ingratitude, and was drawn up in Terms, that fhew'd it was dictated by the ftrong Refentment of Mr. Pope, and in his moft unforgiving Way. Mr. Savage in Return fent a very folemn Proteftation of his Innocence, declaring it impoffible for him to have been guilty, and at the fame Time confeffing himself much hurt and difturb'd by the Accufation, and fo he really was: For before any Reply could come to his humble Letter, wherein he fo earnestly begg'd Mr. Pope to believe him innocent of the Crime he ftood charg'd with: ftill appearing more and more concern'd, he was feiz'd with a Pain in his Back and Side, not very violent but conftant, and growing every Day more languid and dejected, he took to his Room, where he confin'd himself, and where the bad Symptoms grew every Day more formidable, and his Condition did not enable him to procure any the leaft Affiftance: After fix Days he was found dead in the Morning of the first of August, and was buried in the Church Yard of St. Peter, at the Expence of the Keeper. If he had liv'd a little longer, Mr. Pope intended to have fet him at Liberty, and was laying a Scheme (for he feem'd willing to believe his Proteftations) to provide for him in a Way which would not have been displeasing to him; he had been like a Rentcharge to Mr. Pope for feveral Years, to which he was induc'd by nothing but Compaffion. As for Mr. Savage's Mother, when the News of his Death reach'd her Ear, fhe exprefs'd fuch cruel Joy, and spoke spoke in fuch contra-natural and monftrous Terms, that Mr. Pope gave her an Epithet, when it was retold him, which Decency forbids us to repea here, tho' fhe deferv'd it. To this Inftance of Mr. Pope's Compaffion and Generofity many more might be added, tho' it cannot be denied that he was of a Temper eafily provok'd, and not foon brought to any Terms of Reconciliation. But I fhall leave difcourfing on this Head, to make Way for a Subject of greater Importance, and well worthy the moft ferious Attention and Confideration. It will be observed in the foregoing Sheets, I did but lightly touch on Mr. Pope's Ethicks, thinking it a Field too large for me to enter in and pass gradually through; but I have been fince given to understand, that it is pofitively expected of me, and that to drop it fo would be in a Manner overlooking the moft confiderable of Mr. Pope's Works, and what better than any Thing else can difcover the Receffes of his Mind; for having wrote them feveral Years before his Death, and confidered them alfo many Years before their Publication, he had not feen Reason to alter one Sentiment, or be mov'd with any Arguments which were ever urg'd against it, fo that they are to be look'd upon as his philofophical Creed, and first what he thinks of the Nature and State of Man with Refpect to the Universe : Say firft of God above, or Man below, What can we reafon but from what we know? Than which nothing can be more juft; nay, should we attempt to difcourfe of Things concerning which we know nothing, which is too often the Cafe, fuch unprofitable Waste of the Understanding, is hardly worthy to be called Reafon: When I difcours'd of X 3 Mr. |